I avoid emotional, tear-jerker movies and TV shows worse than a germaphobe (mysophobia) sidesteps snotty nosed kids at the height of flu season. I have always treated my media watching experience as an action-fueled thrill ride tinged with comedic bumps along the way. However, I have been presented with the opportunity to make a change. To actually explore how the other side experiences movies: to catch the ‘feels.’
My scifigasms have been limited to excitement over explosions, shoot outs, car chases, and great villain plot twists. Sexy men were never my draw to a film or TV show, hell I don’t find Will, Idris, Depp, Bloom, or RDJ attractive. I’m there to get lost in the experience. I want to see robots fight aliens, martial arts battles, futuristic car chases on crowded freeways, and magic – lots of magic.
However, I lost my interest in everything a few weeks ago. TV became boring. Books were just sheets of paper bound together. Comics were just pictures arranged in some less than fascinating order. The world turned to ashes in my mouth. I almost quit the internet altogether. I almost shut down this website, stopped my podcast, quit my book club, deleted my twitter, facebook, instagram; all of it. I just wanted to quit everything and walk away.
The event that prompted this was finding out that my mother has breast cancer. I was done. I felt a kick in the gut unlike any I had experienced since the death of my maternal grandmother. Yet, this eclipsed it because it was unexpected. The shock sent me into a spiral that I am still reeling from.
Yet, I decided, at her request, instead of quitting and walking away to use this out of character moment to actually delve into trying to understand the emotional side of movies and TV. Hell, I’m already emotional why not get the cries out while watching what others claim are good movies? I do like movies after all.
The doctors and patient care representatives said addressing your feelings is therapeutic so why not just go with this bullshit flow the universe has thrown at my family and get my feelings out by watching emo movies and writing about them? Right? Well not full on emo, but less Alien v. Predator and more The Fountain (the softer side of Scifi/Fantasy not full on sparkling vampire teen angsty movies) I’m not there yet.
I’ll probably start with some Netflix listings or hit up Redbox. If you have any suggestions throw them my way. The sappier the better I guess…
Scifigasm 
Very sorry to hear the news of your mother’s illness. I will hope along with you for the best possible outcome, for her healing and comfort.
So this moment has prompted you to think about the emotional side of scifi movie and tv. Like you, I want my scifi full on, but I don’t disdain the softer emotional elements at all, especially if they well integrated and carried out in a film. Some suggestions for films to explore where the emotions is very much the heart of the film
Solaris (the modern George Clooney remake – one day I will watch the original)
The Host
A.I.
That’s all I can think of at the moment. Let me know what you think of my picks.
Thank you for the thoughts on her recovery. It is a lil weird but writing is how I express myself, so instead of checking out she told me to keep the blog going. I decided to sneak some cries in at the same time. Someone else suggested AI. I appreciate your feedback!
Another flick with a bit of emo is an asian film called “Returner”.